Is Green Day’s music causing car accidents?

Whether running a quick errand or hitting the pavement for a road trip, many drivers have the perfect playlist ready to go. While most people may think that listening to music while driving is normal and safe behavior, doing so is much more dangerous than it may seem. New York drivers who listen to certain music behind the wheel may actually be more likely to end up causing car accidents.

When studying the link between music and driving habits, researchers selected 10 popular songs from a number of different genres. These scientists then had study participants navigate a simulated six-lane road while listening to music or in silence. In an average 70-minute period, drivers changed lanes 20 times. When listening to music with at least 120 BPM, drivers changed lanes almost twice as much.

Most uptempo rock music songs have about 120 or more BPM. Uptempo rock music is particularly popular for a variety of reasons, but it may not be an appropriate choice for drivers who are trying to be safe. Researchers named Green Day’s wildly popular song “American Idiot” as the most dangerous song for drivers to listen to. A separate study by Moneybarn demonstrated that fewer than 30% of the songs most frequently listened to on road trips are considered safe.

There are many safe drivers in New York who work hard to minimize distractions and risks inside of their own vehicles. Unfortunately, there are also a number of other drivers who do not take driving as seriously as they should. Victims of serious car accidents might feel understandably frustrated at these reckless drivers, and understandably so. However, some victims choose to file personal injury suits to seek compensation for their injuries.